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I'm currently developing a MUD system from scratch using VB9, and I would estimate I'm somewhere near 30% complete on the server (I have a working TCP/IP server prototype, 80% complete scripting system, no data persistence or user database yet). I wanted to take a minute out of my coding to bounce some ideas off of the other users here.
Technology:
As far as technologies go I plan on using VB9 for the server and SilverLight for the custom client, which will be necessary. Read the following section to understand why. This MUD will NOT be telnet compatible.
I'm using .Net's CodeDOM for my scripting, which will allow scripts written in most .Net languages (VB.Net, C#, J# and even C++ should someone be so inclined).
Interface:
This mud will be completely mouse driven.
Traditionally, MUDs used complex text parsers to interpret commands. I plan on having objects in the mud publish commands to the clients. Thus, instead of seeing "A Sword" and typing "Get Sword", a user would click on the text "A Sword" and the options "Inspect Sword" and "Pick up Sword" would be displayed in a popup menu and could be clicked on. What commands that are published and to which players will be completely script driven. Thus situations like this could arise:
PlayerA and PlayerB enter a room. There is a small picture frame on the wall.
PlayerA clicks on the picture and sees "Look at Picture", "Try to move Picture".
PlayerA clicks "Try to move Picture". PlayerA sees some text explaining that there is a lever hidden behind the picture frame. A new command is published by the picture to PlayerA. Thus PlayerA now sees "Look at Picture", "Pull Lever" as options in his menu.
Progression:
This is the probably going to be the most controversial part of the game I believe. I plan on abandoning both the class and level paradigms in favor of a new (unique?) system.
There will be a unique inventory slot for what I've termed Growth Items.
When a player has a growth item equipped, that item absorbs any exp he earns. When the growth item 'fills up' with experience, the item is destroyed and the effects of the item are applied, permanently, to the character.
Growth items are going to come in many flavors.
Idol: Increases base statistics.
Grimoire: Teaches you (or increases the potency of) a spell or combat technique.
Codex: Teaches you (or increases your ability in) a passive skill, or trade skill.
Jar: Absorbs exp, and when full, becomes a one use item. Upon it's use, the stored exp will be used on whatever growth item the user has equipped. These will be tradable and I expect them to become an extremely valuable commodity.
If no Growth item is equipped on a character, then that character cannot gain experience.
Basic Growth items will be sold in a NPC run shop, but more advanced ones will be offered as possible rewards for completing dungeons.
I'll offer a quick example of basic vs advanced growth items.
Basic:
Priest Idol (Requires: 1,000 Exp) (Reward: 1 Wisdom)
Advanced:
Idol of the Heirophant (Requires: 8,000 Exp) (Reward: 10 Wisdom)
Advanced AND Rare from a high level dungeon:
Ancient WarPriest's Idol (Requires: 20,000 Exp) (Reward: 15 Wisdom, 5 Strength, 5 Stamina)
Stats will not be capped, but skill and spell levels will.
Skills and spells will be heavily dependent on base stats for their effects.
I have more, but I thought I'd stop here to avoid making people read a massive wall of text. I look forward to seeing what people think.

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The most controversial part of your idea, in my humble opinion, is using Silverlight, but that is another story :-)

Throwing away level systems in favor of a continuous experience system is a common idea and works quite well for a few games. Instead of evaluating characters by levels you will evaluate them by number of spent XP (like is done in EVE online). Why not. I also have a personal bias against classes because of pen 'n paper games I play (again, there are no such system in EVE where players tend naturally to specialize in some skillsets).